In certain types of sorting and conveying systems, such as mail tray sorting systems, articles need to be diverted at right angles in two directions on either side of a conveyor in a very dependable and repeatable way. Current bi-directional designs are expensive, not sufficiently fast and are prone to errors due to design. In addition, after continual use in the postal system, mail tray type articles have an infinite number of variations making them inaccurate and of non uniform dimensions. Such articles have a tendency to jam in conveyor lines for various reasons.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,905,379 describes a conveying system where, when mechanical trip arms are activated, an article on a main conveyor is diverted to a lateral conveyor which does not divert bi-directionally and does not have a robust control arrangement.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,939,891 describes a conveyor system in which articles are removed at work stations by being diverted laterally, and the particular location to which the article is delivered is determined by the location on the article of a pin which engages a circuit maker.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,732,057 describes a bakery conveyor system in which baking pans are passed through a baking operation and after baking, the pans are washed and dried for continuous circulation of the pans.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,782,527 describes a clipped disc device for right angle transfer, where clipped discs positioned in a main conveyor path are activated to move articles off a main conveyor to a lateral conveyor which does not divert bi-directionally and the control arrangement of which is not robust.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,803,556 describes a conveyor control system in which individual tote pans which are to be diverted at selected stations along a conveyor are uniquely identified by a binary address which directly identifies a memory core address location.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,928 describes a log sorting apparatus, where log kicker arms displace a log from a main conveyor to a lateral conveyor using a chain conveyor and the kicker arms.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,927,755 describes a sorting apparatus with a rotating article diverter where a main conveyor has cams that, when activated, divert travel of a lumber object from the main conveyor to a lateral receiver and has a lug conveyor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,865 describes a work delivering apparatus having three exits paths.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,236 describes a roller conveyor device which includes transverse rollers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,643 describes a high speed compound belted diverter where an article travels along a main conveyor then, using active sensors, the article is diverted off the main conveyor to a lateral conveyor discharge area and uses a swing-arm belt, and diverts articles lengthwise and does not divert bi-directionally.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,706,928 describes a picking system which includes a conveyor for carrying containers which are automatically labeled, and a device for removing the labels.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,132 describes a high speed automated cog sorter in which a conveyor includes diverter stations and laterally movable post carriers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,359,247 describes a multi-fire and variable fire diverter conveyor system for transporting items and diverting the items to one of a plurality of stations.